ATS-3

The ATS-3 is a geostational communications satellite and is disputed to be the oldest active satellite in existence. [ [http://www.solarstorms.org/Quote4.html Technology ] ] Nasa refers to the ATS-3 as "The oldest active communications satellite by a wide margin" [ [http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4217/ch6.htm chapter 6 ] ] .

History

Launched in November 1967, the ATS-3 was still in service more than 28 years later, as of 1995. Among its widest-known achievements are the first full-disk, colour Earth images transmitted from a satellite. Its imaging capability has served during disaster situations, from the Mexico earthquake to the Mount St. Helens eruption. ATS-3 experiments included VHF and C-band communications, a color spin-scan camera, an image dissector camera, a mechanically despun antenna, resistojet thrusters, hydrazine propulsion, optical surface experiments, and the measurement of the electron content of the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Because of failures in the hydrogen peroxide systems on ATS-1, ATS-3 was equipped with a hydrazine propulsion system. Its success led to its incorporation on ATS-4 and ATS-5 as the sole propulsion system.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.n2yo.com/satellite.php?s=3029 Information and tracking]